Speed-indicator.



PATENTED NOV. l2, 1907.

E. o. OLIVER.. SPEED INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 13,1906.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEErcE.

EDD C. OLIVER, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO HARRY E. FENCE, OFMINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

' SPEED-INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 1907.

Application iiled November 13. 1906. Serial No. 343.238.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it'known that I, EDD O. OLIVER, of Minneapolis, Hennepin county,Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSpeed-Indicators, oi Which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to improve the construction and cheapenthe cost of manufacturing the indicator described in my pendingapplication No. 328,831, ined Aug. 2, 1906.

A further obj ect is to provide an indicator which can loe assembledWithout iine adjustments and without the necessity of Calibrating eachinstrument.

A further obj ect is to provide an indicator which can be easilyadjusted to compensate for wear or changes of temperature.

The invention consists generally in various constructions andcombinations, all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed outin the claims.

`In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification,Figure 1 is a sectional view of a speed indicator embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a detail sectionalview showing the position assumedby the parts when the device is in operation, the casing being removed.

In the drawing, 2 represents a suitable casing wherein the operatingmechanism is arranged.

3 is a vertical shaft connected by any suitable means as a flexibleshaft (not shown) with a wheel of the automobile or with a moving part0i a piece of stationary mechanism on which the instrument may be used.

1 This shaft has ball bearings 4 at each end and a longitudinal slot 5inclosed by an oscillating ring 6. This ring,.as indicated in Fig. l,occupies a position normally at an acute angle with respect to thelongitudinal axis of the shaft, with its axis, however, coinciding withthe center of the shaft so that the center of mass of the ring remainsthroughout its entire movement at the center of rotation. When the shaftis revolved the ring will oscillate by centrifugal force and swing onits pivot toward a horizontal position, as indicated in Fig. 2. Theshaft 3 has a socket 7 below the slot 5 with a coil spring 8 fittingtherein, the tension of which is regulated by a set screw 9 mounted inthe said shaft at one end oi the socket, and engaging the end oi thespring. A pin 1() has a flange l1 in engagement with the other end oithe spring and said pin is pivoted 011 the short arm of a bell crank 12that is pivoted at 13 on the shaft. The long arm oi the bell crank l2projects through the slot 5 and is adapted to bear on the cam surface 14of a plate 15 that is secured on the inner surface of the ring 6 by-anysuitable means, as a set screw 16. The movement of the ring istransmitted to a suitable indicating device through the link 17 and arm18 mounted on a vertically movable pin 19, the tr'avel of said pin beingtransmitted to the indicator hand by a mechanism substantially the sameas shown in my application above referred to and which will need nofurther' illustration herein. I

The coil springs 8 can be made of substantially uniform tension and alarge number of them turned out with but little variation in power andmovement, and the force exerted by such a spring on the short arm of thebell cr'ank will be commensurate with the movement of the arm. I havetherefore found this form of spring superior to the flat one employed inmy earlier' application, as it was difficult to make the flat springsuniform in tension and their' movement would not be entirelycommensurate with the pressure exerted on the cams, and hence it becamenecessary to calibrate each instrument separately to determine itsdegree of accuracy. By the use of the bell crank and the coil however, Ihave avoided all fine adjustments, the bell spring, crank and springscan all be made alike and be interchangeable, and the instruments can beput together' and adjusted for' use without ascertaining the tension ofeach spring separately or Calibrating each instrument.

With this device, as in the one shown in my former application thecenter o mass of the ring does not travel away from the center ofrotation of the shaft which is also the center of oscillation of theweight, hence the shaking or jarring incident to rough roads or streetswill have no vibratory effect on the indicator' hand. The device willhave the same eiiiciency for indicating low speeds as the otherinstrument.

It will be noted that the effective leverage of the spring on the camvaries with the speed of rotation of the spindle, and also that thetension of the spring increases with the speed of rotation.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a speed indicating device, the combination, with a rotatingspindle, of a weight centrally pivoted thereon and having a cam surface,a. Spring, a lever bearing on said spring and on said cam surface, theeffective leverage of the spring on the cam varying with the speed* ofrotation.

L. In a speed indicating device, the combination, with a rotatingspindle, of a ring pivoted thereon, the center oi.' mass of said ringremaining substantially at the center' of rotation during,r theoscillation of said ringa cam mounted on said ring', a compressionspring, a lever' mechanism for transmitting the pressure of said spring;to said cam, the elfective leverage of the spring on the cam varyingwith the speed of rotation.

3. In a speed indicating device, the combination, with arotating-spindle, of a weight pivoted thereon and having a cam surface,u lever' having one arm in engagement with said cam surface, and aspring in engagement with the other' arm of said lever', the tension ofsaid spring increasing with the speed of rotation, substantially asdescribed. i

4. In a speed indicating device, the combination', with a rotatingspindle, of a weight centrally pivoted thereon and having a cam surface,u bell crank having one arm in engagement with said cum surface, :rcompression spring in engagement with the other arm of said bell crank,-means for. adjusting -said spring, and the compression of said springincreasing with the speed of rotation. Y

5l The combination, with a rotating spindle having a slot therein, of aring centrally pivoted on said spindle and having a cam surface, anindicating device, a bell crank pivoted on said spindle and .having onearm projecting through said slot and in engagement with said cam surfaceand a coil spring fitting Within a socket in said spindle having one endin engagement with the other arm of said bell crank, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a speed indicating device, the combination, with a rotatingspindle, of a ring pivoted thereon, a cam mounted on'said ring, acompression spring arranged at an angle to the axis of said spindle ameans for transmitting the pressure of said spring to said cam, theeective leverage of the spring on the cam varying With the speed ofrotation, substantially as described.

7. In a speed indicating device, the combination, with a rotatingspindle, of a weight pivoted thereon having a cam surface, a leverpivoted at a point intermediate to its ends and having one arm inengagement with said cam surface, a spring arranged to engage the otherarm of said lever, the distance between the bearing point of said springon said lever and the pivot of the lever remaining constant While thedistancebetween the pivot of said lever and the point of contact of theother arm` with said cam varies with the speed of rotation,substantially as described.

8. In a speed indicating device, the combination, with a rotatingspindle, of a Weight pivoted thereon and hav-- ing a cam surface, acoilv spring and a lever device bearing on said spring and on said camsurface.

9. In a speed indicating device, thecombination, with a rotatingspindle, of a Weight pivoted thereon and having a cam surface, acompression spring, and a single lever arranged to transmit the motionof said cam to said spring. Y

10. In a speed indicating device, a rotating spindle in combination witha Weight pivoted thereon, said Weight having a cam surface, a leverarranged to engage said surface, and be actuated by the movement of saidWeight and cam, and means for yielding-ly holding said lever inengagement With said surface.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 6th day of November1906.

EDD C. OLIVER.

Witnesses:

RICHARD PAUL, J. B. EVA.

